A delicious and cozy meal, this paleo pumpkin chili is quick and easy to make! Can be made in an instant pot or on the stove. Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, Whole30.

Paleo pumpkin chili is a cozy, hearty meal
It’s not super easy to come up with a delicious chili recipe that doesn’t have beans in it. When you think of chili, you almost always think of several types of beans, don’t you? They’re basically synonymous.
So when it comes to paleo chili, you do have to get creative. When I told my husband I was putting green beans in the chili, he was like “wait, what?”. But trust me, after taking a few bites, he was sold.
The real heart of chili comes from the spices anyway. The other ingredients can be shifted around, as long as the flavor profile is on point.
I recently posted these cornbread muffins (also paleo and low-carb), and they pair perfectly with this chili as well!

Easy to make in an instant pot or on the stove
I made the recipe with two methods in mind, one with an instant pot (my preferred method), and one on the stove top. Either will work, but the instant pot is definitely quicker.
The ingredients you will need for the chili base are as follows:
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Sweet potatoes
- Green beans
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Beef broth
- Pureed pumpkin
And for the spices:
- Coconut sugar (omit for Whole30)
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cocoa powder
You’ll start by sauteeing the ground beef and onions in the instant pot or stove top pot, until cooked through. Add in all of the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. If using an instant pot, set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
If using a stove top pot, cook for 20-25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes have softened. Be sure to stir occasionally, so nothing burns.
Serve right away with cornbread muffins, or a side of your choice.

Can I add in beans if I’m not paleo?
Of course you can. I recommend using precooked beans, so that you do not have to modify the cook time at all.
Do I need to add in the cocoa powder?
No, you don’t need to, it’s an optional ingredient. However, it does add a richer depth of flavor, so I do recommend it. If you don’t like the taste of cocoa, no worries, you can’t directly taste it in the chili.

If you give this paleo pumpkin chili a try, please let me know what you think in the comments below. Also be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest so you don’t miss a recipe!
You may also enjoy:
Paleo Pumpkin Chili
Equipment
- Instant pot or large pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 large sweet potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup green beans, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup pureed pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar omit for Whole30
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Instructions
- To an instant pot or large pot on the stove, add ground beef and diced onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil. Saute until ground beef is cooked through.
- Add in all remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. If using an instant pot, set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. If cooking on the stove, cover with a lid and cook over medium heat until the sweet potatoes become soft, approximately 20-25 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally if cooking on the stove.
- If using instant pot, once timer goes off, carefully switch to vent. Once steam releases, gently remove lid.
- Serve immediately, with cornbread muffins or a side of choice.